“Expanding Your Horizons” is a math and science career
conference hosted by female science professionals who introduce middle school
girls to new and non-traditional skills and careers in the fields of mathematics,
science, engineering and technology. About 400 San Francisco middle school
girls will try out practical hands-on uses for math and science such as understanding
the stock market, building a rocket launch pad and exploring Bay Area topography,
watersheds and environmental hazards.

The program is sponsored by the SF State College of Science & Engineering
and College of Education as well as corporate and public entities including
the Miranda Lux Foundation; the City of San Francisco’s Department of Children,
Youth, and Families; the San Francisco Unified School District; Houghton
Mifflin; San Francisco Mathematics Teachers Association; the National Expanding
Your Horizons Network and many individual donors.

WHO:

In addition to SF State faculty, the girls will meet
and work withfemaleveterinary, zoo and
wildlife professionals from the Marine Science Institute, the Oakland Zoo
and the California Academy of Sciences; physicians and researchers from California
Pacific Medical Center and the San Francisco General Hospital; a technology
expert from Symantec; optical scientists, recording engineers, applied mathematicians,
and a forensic scientist from the SF Police Criminalistics Laboratory.

Media who wish to visit the labs
and classrooms during demonstrations should meet at Jack Adams Hall no
later than 9:30 a.m. to be escorted by conference organizers. Later media
visits can be arranged by contacting Marilyn Swartz at (415) 218-3076.